NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 8: Newark Mayor Cory Booker speaks during a news conference to discuss his plans to campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for the seat of late U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg on June 8, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has set October 16th as the date for a special election to determine who will fill Lautenberg's seat for a year. (Photo by Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)Newark Mayor Cory Booker File Photo (credit: Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)

By KYW Special Contributor Larry Kane

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Tuesday is the special summer primary for the senate seat in New Jersey.

Dr. Alieta Eck, a professor at Rutgers University, is one of two Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate seat. She says she decided to actually run for the office when something happened at the free, non-government health clinic that she operates.

“I was seeing a patient that morning, on Monday morning,” Eck says. “I had seen one person who told me that she has a minimum wage job, and was going from 37 hours a week — they were cutting her down to 29½ — and I realized, my goodness, Obama-care is already hurting people.”

Dr. Richard Harris, the head of the political science department at Rutgers University in Camden, says that Newark Mayor Cory Booker is certainly the favorite, but the other Democratic candidates in the race may get some benefit, even if they lose the contest.

“For those candidates who don’t have the kind of ‘Rock Star’ name recognition that Cory Booker does, getting their name in front of people on a state-wide ballot means everything,” Harris says. “If you have ambitions state-wide for the governorship — or senatorship, down the road.”

Hear more from Alieta Eck in this CBS Philly Podcast:

Alieta Eck Interview

Hear more from Dr. Richard Harris in this CBS Philly Podcast:

Richard Harris Interview

Larry Kane’s entire interview with Eck and Harris can also be seen on ‘Voice Of Reason,’ Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on The Comcast Network.